My thoughts…on stuff

I was reading Jamaican Scientist (a blog I stumbled on while going through my site stats) when I found out that the Bruce Golding led Administration is gonna implement free healthcare on April 1st. Two things came to my mind. This is either a godsend for the Jamaican people or the worst April Fool’s joke ever! Something this momentous you’d expect to hear more of in the Jamaican media. But I just heard of it tonight. Guess they don’t want too much of a rush April 1st.

While I applaud this move, I wonder how our new government will fund it. Health Minister Ruddy Spencer said it would require 1,500 additional nurses, doctors and pharmacists. Wow. That’s a lot of paychecks. Not to mention the additional medical supplies. Accepting handouts to fund this would not help our debt-ridden little island. Still, the government said that they have set aside US$54 million to offset this cost, and Ruddy estimates that the costs won’t exceed US$24 million in the 1st year.

I won’t bash this plan at all, as we Jamaicans tend to underestimate ourselves just ’cause we’re Jamaicans. Look. They said free education for children wasn’t possible, and look at it now! I’m still of the opinion that it was a political gimmick and nothing more. We’re doing this, while America still has its head up its ass concerning healthcare. See, we can actually be better than Uncle Sam. 

Before I begin, I know I have some ’splaining to do. I’ve been away for exactly one week, as I’ve been extremely busy with both school and extra-curriculars. I wanted to give y’all notice, but I simply didn’t have the time. But don’t worry, I’ll make for lost time, starting now.

I know you’ve been following the US Presidential Race as I have, but the scandal involving Eliot Spitzer has proved to be an interesting distraction. I mean its sex, and unless Hilary has sex with Obama to get back at Bill, this is gonna be topping the political headlines for a while. When I heard the name of the accused and what he was charged for, it reminded of the “Spitz or Swallows” joke from Austin Powers.

I didn’t know guy before now, and admit it, neither did you. But apparently he had a squeaky clean reputation. In fact, its kind of ironic that the guy has been taken down for corruption when he earned a reputation for fighting corruption. I tend not to trust such people, as experience has taught me that they tend to be the most corrupt. That’s why, though I value my good name, I try not to be too saintly, lest I be lumped with those people.

Anyways, the guy got caught doing business with an online prostitution ring (poor sucker) called the Emperor’s Club (way to appeal to the egomaniacs’ out there) and here he is. In typical fashion for a disgraced politician, he resigned. With a painfully vague and unrepentant speech I might add. I still can’t get why he paid $4K+ for that “Kristen” ho. I mean she isn’t really that hot. Judge for yourself. There are a whole lot of college girls I know that are way hotter than her, and would maybe, just maybe, give it up for a lot less. Hey, the tuition has to be paid after all.

I’m surprised that Playboy wants this “Kristen” chick. Remember when Playboy chose the most beautiful women to grace its pages instead of moderately beautiful ones who the media happens to obsess over at the time? It is also said that he wanted her to do “dangerous” things. Freak. Wifey stood by her man. Commendable, but I know she did it to save face and by extension, her own. Mr. Spitzer, you’ve amused me enough. You’ve served your purpose. Now fade into anonymity already.       

A smile spread across my face as I heard the news. Kern Spencer, involved in the much publicized Cuban light bulb scandal, and his two co-conspirators, were arrested Wednesday evening. Even though he was locked up for only one night, I believe it was a great victory for justice in this country. Being my cynical self, I didn’t think Kern would be punished, but I’m definitely not complaining. I know that this won’t make corruption suddenly disappear, but I hope it will help to curb corruption it.

Jamaicans are used to seeing politicians and others in power get away with their misdeeds. Public officials resigning, migrating or being involved in drawn out court cases with little more than a slap on the wrist. As such, we have developed the attitude that unlawful behaviour is only wrong if you get caught. Lets hope that this makes them think twice. But I can’t help thinking that Kern is the fall guy for an even bigger fish (Paulwell).

Some are calling Kern a victim of a political witchhunt. Frankly I don’t care. As long as guilty politicians and other public officials on either side are weeded out, I’m satisfied. There is one thing that really angers me though. When he was released yesterday, he ACTUALLY had a crowd supporting him. And while he was incarcerated, people were threatening to block roads if he wasn’t released. That’s why when these damn ignorant, poverty-stricken fools complain about being manipulated by politicians, I don’t feel any sympathy for them. They allow themselves to be used as pawns, and would rather support this thief than their honest, hardworking fellow man. Let’s hope justice is allowed to run its full course, and is not perverted by bribery or threats.

The battle for the Whitehouse is heating up, but most would say that its not much of a battle anymore. Obama is clearly the crowd favourite. In fact, he is jokingly called “President Obama”. It seems like nothing can stop the Obama juggernaut…until now. A picture of Barack Obama wearing a turban has surfaced on the Internet, and it has caused quite a stir in both camps. It is alleged that Mrs Clinton’s aides circulated the picture. Mr. Obama’s campaign manager, David Plouffe, described it as “the most shameful, offensive fear-mongering we’ve seen from either party in this election”.

Personally I don’t see what all the fuss is about. It’s not like he’s got explosives strapped to him, high fiving Osama and burning the American flag. The truth is, Mr. Obama is merely wearing the same clothes as the nomads in Somalia, and there is no religious significance behind it whatsoever. I personally think the Clinton camp is behind this, to feed both the rumours that he’s a Muslim and the xenophobia Americans have towards them, and its a sad and shameful tactic. You’d think Americans would’ve recovered from 9/11 by now. They’d better change that part in their anthem about the “home of the brave” to the “home of the paranoid”. In response to this, the Obama camp has released this picture. Quite appropriate don’t you think?

The news caught me by surprise this morning. I just couldn’t believe it. After all these years, Fidel Castro finally resigned. I knew it had to eventually happen, but I almost saw the guy as invincible. I mean he was in power for 49 years. Would’ve been cool if he made it a round 50. Ah well. Soon after he announced his resignation, Bush said that he regards his resignation as “a period of transition, and it should be the beginning of the democratic transition in Cuba”. Bush, your “bringing democracy to the world” gimmick is getting old. Cuba isn’t gonna sell out like Puerto Rico, so just forget it. And if Raul is anything like Fidel, which I know he is, that will never happen.

A classmate of mine said that Jamaica needs a Fidel, to weed out the corrupt politicians, and I agree. Fidel wasn’t without his flaws, but he cared about his people, and that’s a lot more than I can say for most politicians. He even left his position of prestige to become a revolutionary - to alleviate the plight of his people. How many people sitting in parliament or congress would do that? I’ve never had a reason to hate him. He ran Cuba well, despite the American embargo. Jamaica on the other hand, is practically America’s footstool. Let’s see. Cuba has 98% literacy, virtually all of its citizens attend university and it’s healthcare system is comparable to First World countries.

Us? Well, our healthcare system…needs work and while our literacy rate is 88%, 26% (female) attend tertiary instititions, about half that for males. Yeah. We’re benefiting from that alliance alright. In fact, Cuba’s aiding us, allowing our students to study over there, giving us free light bulbs…erm, let’s not talk about that shall we? I’m proud of Fidel. After countless assassination plots, they never got you, even outlasting nine U.S. presidents. You had the balls to defy a nation virtually every other country fears. You weren’t forced out of power, neither by death or foe. You ended your governance on your own terms. Way to go.

The 2008 presidential elections have been the most exciting in years. Even if you’re a non-American like myself, you can’t help but get excited. Not only because of the prospect of the first black or first female president in U.S. history, or to see who has the guts or the skill to clean up America after all of Bush’s blunders, but mostly because of one candidate. Barack Obama. I love the guy, and not the twisted type of love the picture at the right would suggest. I was gonna start the post with “Obama rox my sox,” but I thought I had to appear at least a little objective.

From big media to the little man the local bar, everyone’s talking about him. No doubt about it, there’s definately something about Obama. He has a powerful appeal, one that has helped him to cross social, racial and political barriers and even helped him get endorsed by America’s royal family of politics, the Kennedys. This type of appeal has already helped him to make history, as the first black man to ever make it this far in a presidential campaign, and actually be considered a threat by his opponents.

So what’s the secret to Obama’s appeal? A high priced marketing team? Great wealth? Friends in high places? A spotless exemplary life? Quite frankly, none of those things. And that’s the secret to Obama’s appeal. He’s a real person. He grew up in a middle class family, had a multi-racial background, and made mistakes when he was a kid. He smoked grass and rode “The White Pony” and isn’t afraid to admit it. That’s what makes him so likeable. He’s just like us. I can imagine him making a speech in front of hundreds one minute and shootin’ hoops with innner city youths the next. He doesn’t seem to have an ulterior motive, unlike what those racist morons are saying that he’s really a Muslim terrorist with the intention to destroy the nation, just because his middle name is “Hussein” and his first name sounds like “Osama.” Asstards! It’s a co-incidence! 

He’s just a regular guy (abeit a highly educated and very successful one) that wants to make a change. He stresses unity, and makes Americans believe in a brighter tomorrow. The America he dreams of reminds me of the America I used to dream of going, when I’d read American storybooks ’till I fell asleep and dream of soaring over a bustling metropolis one minute and verdant fields the next. Hilary only has vicarious appeal. The only reason so many people are rooting for her is that she was married to Bill, and let’s face it, everybody loves Bill.

But something disturbs me. Obama is bi-racial. Previous black presidential hopefuls such as Al Sharpton were not. Yet Obama has progressed much further than any of them. Could it be that bi-racial status that has gained him the support of so many white voters? Or has America grown up a bit since their time? Something to think about.      

The “free” light bulb scandal took a interesting turn yesterday as Kern Spencer, former Minister of of State in the Ministry of Investment, Technology, Energy and Commerce, openly wept during the sitting of the House of Representatives. My parents, after seeing it on the news, couldn’t stop talking about it the entire night. In fact, it caused a bit of an argument, with my dad wanting Kern’s head and my mom arguing that he’s being used as a scapegoat. This is the first time I’ve seen this. A politician being raked over the coals. No resignation or excuses of “youthful exuberance.” Just good ol’ fashioned, unbiased criticism.

Does justice in Jamaica actually extend to the elite? Perhaps. Mr. Spencer was noticeably nervous during the sitting, but Clive Mullings’ statement, “This is not just a question of irregularities; this raises questions of fraud,” seems to have been the straw that broke the camel’s back, or rather, the hand that turned on the tap, as Kern began crying soon after that. I’m not saying the guy’s guilty or anything, but it looks rather suspicious. Why would an innocent cry? Plus he couldn’t even defend himself, even when his fellow party members urged him to. Was the realization that he could actually face jail time, and that his peers no longer had the power to shield him too much? I think so.

Strangely enough (yeah right), Phillip “Senõr Scandal” Paulwell, the Minister formerly in charge of the Ministry, showed up one hour and 36 minutes late. (Probably working on his alibi.) Still, part of me is a bit suspicious of the transparency of these proceedings. Is Kern really guilty, or is he just the fall guy, taking the rap for Paulwell? If he is indeed guilty, then he should feel the full weight of the law. He and all others involved. Plain and simple. We’ve seen too many politicians get away scot-free from scandals that would have cost the average Joe decades of his life behind bars. If this is done, then Jamaicans will come to the realization that power, prestige, and wealth do not shield you from the long arm of the law, and that the law doesn’t apply to some, it applies to all. Maybe then Jamaicans will think twice before engaging in illegal acts.

Ok. Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. The Jamaican government undertakes a big project. Ministry of Industry and Commerce gets involved. Scandal ensu…Oh. You have. Ok then. Man, I thought under this new government we could go for at least a decent quarter without a scandal erupting, but I guess I was wrong. There’s now a big scandal involving some light bulbs Cuba sent to us for free as part of its “Jamaica-Cuban Energy Saving Project,” and surprise, surprise, the “Honourable” Phillip Paulwell, former Minister of Energy and Commerce and his partner in crime junior minister, Kern Spencer are at the center of it all. I tell you, there’s nothing “honourable” about many of these politicians walking around with that fancy title, one created by politicians, for politicians just to lend more prestige to themselves.

You think they would’ve sacked him after NetServ and Trafigura. But like the police, politicians shield each other. But back to the issue at hand. If you’re a typical blog reader, you probably have a short attention span, so here’s the lowdown. Cuba gives us free bulbs. Jamaica only needs to handle clearance, transportation and other minor expenses. Programme was supposed to save $169 million. PNP left a bill of $275.5 million. And the most despicable thing about this is that this was supposed to benefit the country. Couldn’t they just suspend their personal interests for one minute and, I don’t know, serve the people? I know this is a strange concept, especially when applied to local politicians, but I think it could work. I really hope that this scandal is just one big misunderstanding and that things are sorted out. But given the history of scandals in this country, that’s unlikely. If so, then I hope Paulwell finally gets the boot. Politicians have enough of a bad name already. No need for him to make it worse.

Today, in my Managing Customer and Client Relations class, we were asked to define “a conflict of interest.” As expected, most people didn’t respond. I gave it a shot of course, but fell short in my definition. Unbeknownst to me, a perfect example of one was happening in the local media. Don Wehby, a senior executive at GraceKennedy, has been dogged by controversy following his appointment to the post of Minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service.

There were questions raised as to where his loyalty lay, to Grace or to the country. Eventually Mr. Wehby has to choose between his executive position at the company and service to his country. His salary at Grace was $13 million, while his salary as a minister would be a mere $3 million, over four times less. With this in mind, his decision was clear.

He took the pay cut.

Many people would question the sanity of this man. I mean why shave off more 77% off your salary? Patriotism, that’s why. This is what true patriotism is. Not simply wearing black, green and gold or saying that you love the country. He said, “I want to do it for my children. I want a better Jamaica for my children.” Most Jamaicans would be surprised by this, especially after the scandals involving politicians over the years. There is no one that can give you a worse opinion of Jamaica than a Jamaican. We always expect the worst from our countrymen, ourselves and our country. When one Jamaican says the country is making progress, the remaining ninety-nine are skeptical of it.

It angers me that people are walking around with Air Force sneakers, Razr phones and designer jeans, yet complain about how “hard” life is, as if Jamaica is the worst country on the face of the earth. To sacrifice material gain for a greater ideal. That is truly noteworthy, no matter which party you belong to. If there are more people like him in the new Cabinet, then Bruce Golding’s vision of a better Jamaica isn’t as farfetched as some would believe.

Before I begin, let me apologize for being away for so long. Reason? Two words: Registry…edit. So my computer should be up sometime this week.

Yes, the general elections are finally over. And it seems that Jamaicans were indeed dying for a change, as the People’s National Party was defeated by the Jamaica Labour Party yesterday, cutting short the PNP’s unprecedented reign of 18 years. It was tight, with the JLP winning 31 out of the 60 seats, and because of this (or more likely unwillingness to accept defeat), the PM has asked for a recount.

It’s time for her to stop acting as if victory is hers. We all know that if a leader doubts himself, then his followers will doubt him, but what’s done is done, and no false confidence will change that. Plus I doubt that the “irregularities” are numerous enough to cause the PNP to regain power. I say just lose with dignity. This must be a huge blow to her ego. Ever realize that since she rose to power as leader of the PNP, she only refers to herself in the third person?

Mrs. “Chosen Leader,” no party stays in power forever. That’s what democracy was created to prevent. Defeat is inevitable. I’m sure she knew that, but I guess she was worried how it would look if the PNP lost under her administration. Many in her camp were not convinced that she was competent enough to be PM, and she was probably worried that a loss would prove them right.

I could tell that this was coming. In the days approaching the elections, the JLP’s popularity exceeded the PNP’s, due to their superior ads and performance on the national debate. Comrades would nervously mumble under their breath about their coming victory, while Labourites would confidently shout of theirs from the heavens. People young and old were eager “to change course.” Plus I was an election day worker, so I saw the events firsthand.

Though the area where I worked was a JLP stronghold, it was obvious from the overwhelming JLP turnout their candidate was going to win, later confirmed by the counting of ballots. People even carried the old, too old to see or walk let alone write to vote. If this is the kind of zeal they have for their party, I said to myself, then this election should be one of the closest in history. And it was. Walker, Election Ranger called three constituencies “closer than razor thin.” But for the moment, there has been a change in government. A long overdue one. Mr. Golding and team, your move.